Review of Live 07 (PC) - Final Impressions

[conlintolv04]

After playing a few more games, I must update my initial review.

Rating: 5.5 / 10 (was 8.0 / 10)

The Good: Better graphics, animations; announcers are great. Crowd gets into the game. (8/10)

The Bad: CPU PG dominance, no substitutions by CPU, too many outside shots by CPU, to many isolation plays by CPU, bad shot selection at times by CPU, basically plays more arcade than simulation. (2/10)

The Ugly: As stated above, the Artificial Intelligence is poor! This game, now is unplayable by me till something miraculous happens and a patch is applied. Sorry, this games AI plays WORSE than NBA Live 06. I love NBA basketball: this game does not respresent NBA basketball as far as gameplay.
(1/10)

I now feel if I really want to play a good basketball video game I will have to go out and buy a console to play NBA 2k7 which is recieving rave reviews.

[elitehunter99]

I don't see the CPU PG dominating the ball if they are defended well. If they are trapped on an iso and can't get by the defender, they will go inside or pass it off (All-Star difficulty). Also, I think the CPU takes LESS outside shots, the tendency is to drive to the basket. If anything, I will say that the CPU takes outside shots only if they get space between themselves and the defender, which is how its supposed to work.

The CPU substitution frequency is the biggest blunder in this year's game, other than that it has solid gameplay.

However, I don't like the touch pass feature cuz holding down on the pass button for an extra instant always results in a turnover. That just needs getting used to.

[conlintolv04]

I think you are playing a different game there pal.

[Qmx323]

I have never encountered CPU PG dominance in about 10 games, the most a PG has ever scored on me was 23 by baron davis, and he had about 11 assists.

just play decent D and they'll pass it

[Crystallas]

I dont get it as bad as some people say. But the CPU never has a player with more than 2 assists in the 15 games that Ive played, so Im not saying that everything is right.

['Sheed]

I agree, the PG is dominanting, the game is also moving very unrealistic, the gameplay really sucks.
This is truly unplayable, i can't stand running like an idiot after those fast PG's and finally finding myself getting a fade-away three over my head.
It's maybe only my impression, but i really feel big men are nothing but rebounds in this game, i played a double couple games and almost none of the CPU big men was really dominanting the paint, it is more about getting the open look.
The CPU playing very messy defence, this is quite bothering, as it running after my PG like a lunatic all over the court.
The Gameplay made the game quite sucks, but the other things are quite nice, got to admit this.
The movements is something i got to get use to, like the new passing thing, and more, but i feel this is gonna be fun.
Finally, i think the game got one step forward, but went two backwards, I hope the amazing patchers around here will fix some of the problems.
I don't have the money to buy a console, I'll be with the PC version untill Live 45 or something like that, and no matter how many problems there will be, I guess all I can do is shut up, take a sit, and run the game.

[elitehunter99]

I dont get it as bad as some people say. But the CPU never has a player with more than 2 assists in the 15 games that Ive played, so Im not saying that everything is right.

Which teams did u use?

I played against the Nets and JKidd had 4 assists in the first half.

[hellbydante]

I have played live 07 many times.. but each time i played i got more and more frustrated... I always tell myself to go back playing the game and hopefully it won't as bad once i can figure out some of the sliders or techniques how i can go about improving the overall gameplay experience the next time around... Teams i've used were Lakers and rockets and so far... i keep on losing to the suns and worse of all, the warriors!!! And the only team i could beat consistantly were the heat -____- I play all my games at all-star difficulty.... and these problems were not so bad with previous versions of live at this level of difficulty since 95...

I've read some advice about leaving my cpu team mate to guard the point guards which could reduce their dominance.. This trick however only works for jason williams for the miami heat... Steve nash also faced some difficulty when applying this trick... but the bigger problem was with the warriors!!!! Baron Davis was virtually unstoppable man!! The CPU keeps abusing his superstar dunk ability and it became so ridiculous where baron davis was able to dunk on Yao and Mutombo when it was so obvious both of them were enough to block his attempt... what adds to the frustration was that, davis took off quite far inside the key!!! The same cheating tactic was used with jason richardson... Besides that the CPU manage to make dunking on yao look easy with Adonle Foyle too!! However, when i used the high flying superstar ability of McGrady or Kobe to pull off the same stunt, it always results in a offensive foul or a bock!!

Other issues which showed the cheating tactics of the CPU included fadeaway 3 pointers by Michael Pietrus, Baron Davis and Jason Richardson... that wasn't all though.. i even had McGrady and battier double teaming them with hands in their faces when they pulled up for 3s... and they still make it consistantly!!! But when it was my turn to pull it off with McGrady, it was virtually impossible even when the shot was released correctly... Apart from that, every single leaner shot the CPU was able to pull off with its player, it always never fail to miss.. NEVER!! The only time the CPU will miss is when Marv Albert says ' forced shot'.... It almost seems like defence is totally non existant against the CPU...

Rebounds were also very biased... yao ming can be out rebounded by baron davis... the balls always miraculously land in the CPU's possesion...

I have only messed with the sliders a bit but it seem to make no difference to the way the CPU keeps on cheating In all, i was not able to pull off what the CPU can successfully do on the court.. which is frustrating as hell!!

I hope i'm not the only one who is experiencing this problem...